These are the real life photos from the night I represented Barbie at Mattel’s birthday party for her, and the launch of the Barbie-inspired fashion line for real women.
I tell the story of that night in my one woman performance piece I w@s B*rbie. (Earlier version of the show were simply called I was Barbie.)
Click on the thumbnails to see the full images. All photos were taken by Michael Pihach.
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- "the wall behind me is only made of cardboard and doesn't even stand up by itself"
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- this machine rvideo recorded people's Barbie stories... no idea what was done (if anything LOL) with the footage
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- the crowd inside the Fashion Week tents
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- the twisted line-up to get into the Barbie themed fashion show for real women
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- pink crystal chandeliers cast pink light everywhere
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- that's Ben Mulroney on the left and I think its Leah Miller on the right
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- I asked to take a photo with Ben
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- inside the main hall waiting for the fashion show to start... that's Sex Matters' Cynthia Loydst on the right (at the time a Fashion Televission producer)
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- the cameras take B-roll of the crowd
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- Robin Kaye, the Head of the Fashion Design Council of Canada says a few words
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- a video montage before the show hypes the crowd... the song is Doll Parts by Courtney Love but before the track gets dark and tragic it mixes into a techno beat
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- who can stop looking at Ben? I was mesmerized
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- everybody laughed at this except the over-tanned woman sitting directly in front of me
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- these beefcake male models came out onto the catwalk awearing shirts that said "ken Who?" and they had trays of drinks for everyone in the audience
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- which girls has extensions in and who was using all their real hair?
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- catwalk shot
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- the buyers guide so you can check off which pieces who'd like to by and drop it off with the designer
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- the lights above the catwalk
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- i said to the gay guy sitting next to me "Honey, a proper model is more than a moving mannequin. Whatever energy she's bringing to the catwalk --whether she's sexy, sassy or flirty -- I wanted to feel it. I want it to be REAL.
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- the drinks were mixing with my ativan immediately
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- a beautiful high fashion Barbie with almost no tits and almost no hips
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- the drinks were called Rich Passion and they were served in a gold coloured aluminun can
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- yes!
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- chandeliers over the end of the catwalk
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- i think I'd like to pick up a few of thes epieces if I can afford it
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- gorgeous!
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- David Dixon, the designer, comes out to take a bow and gets a standing ovation. the collection is a success...
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- that final fierce moment where some of the models are coming down the runway one way and some are coming the other way
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- posing for photos after the runway show
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- post runway show swirling lights
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- camera, woman
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- fashionistas Jeff Rustia and Geoffrey
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- David Dixon and I after the fashion show
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- she said "just stay right where you are" i think "you're not allowed to talk to Barbie in that tone..."
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- they had a light up wall display that had every Barbie doll ever made
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- the Marilyn Monro Barbie was right next to the Kimora Lee Simmons Barbie
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- checking myself backstage whil Fashion Week DJ Daniel Wilson watches me watching me
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- later I walk around serving cupcakes and the people COME for my cupcakes
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- having my make-up touched up for TV
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- telling the Fashion Television producers which angles that I want to be shot from. they humoured me and did what they wanted...
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- chatting with Glenn Baxter, one of the hosts of Fashion Television
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- everyone stop being spontaneous while fix the audio levels on Glenn's mic
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- me and Glenn go our separate ways
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- after the interview Robin Kaye, the Head of the Fashion Design Council of Canada, grabs Glenn and I to pose for pictures
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- this guy bought me another can of Rich Passion
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- we found these underground tunnels under Nathan Pillips Square and went into this decrepit washroom we weren't supposed to be in
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- Glenn Dixon, David Dixon's brother, designed a Barbie themes furniture line for real people
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- i did this very strange TV interview in front of the wall of Barbies where the interviewer did all the talking and didn't let me get a word in... OK
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- in the middle of the bar was this booth where a pre-recorded video message told you how to inspect your breasts for cancer
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- there were also these booths in the bar area where women were demonstrating household appliances like steamers and irons
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- fooling around at the end of the night
